Gaff Recommendations

Ideally, you want the halibut to lay out flat next to your kayak, without its head coming out of the water. They are usually pretty docile until their head is above water, and then they'll go berserk. This one worked pretty much as planned:



Once in a while, they happen to appear with the white side up, and those are a lot harder to deal with, especially if they are big:

I like my Promar GFE-523 Elite Series Carbon.  Great for halibut fishing.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076SRJ5LK?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3

what length do you use? the two foot one?

I like my Promar GFE-523 Elite Series Carbon.  Great for halibut fishing.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076SRJ5LK?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3

What length do you use? The two-foot one?

Yes, I've been using a two-foot one, and I think this 2' one makes more accurate for halibut.  If you want for yellowtails, you might need 3'+

Ideally, you want the halibut to lay out flat next to your kayak, without its head coming out of the water. They are usually pretty docile until their head is above water, and then they'll go berserk. This one worked pretty much as planned:



Once in a while, they happen to appear with the white side up, and those are a lot harder to deal with, especially if they are big:

Your method is exactly how I try to do it. Sometimes it doesn't quite work out though, haha.

That water in the second video is Glass. Is the soundtrack?

That water in the second video is Glass. Is the soundtrack?

That was early morning in Santa Cruz near Steamer Lane. It took more than 45 minutes to land that fish, and I was worn out, so I was back in the harbor before 9:00am...

My younger son was in an orchestra at the time, and that is a recording from one of their performances.